Life is Unpredictable
by Bella2006
Summary: This story begins in the early part of season 1. Nathan and Haley despise each other, but when Nathan decides to use Haley to get back at Lucas, both Nathan and Haley discover that life can become very unpredictable, especially when love is involved.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Life is Unpredictable

**Disclaimer: **I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

**Author's Note #1: **This is my first Nathan and Haley fan fiction, so I hope it is alright right. Please tell me what you think of it!

**Author's Note #2:** This is an AU, but has several similarities to the first season. All the history between Karen, Dan & Deb and their son's is the same from the show and how Lucas joins the basketball team & Nathan and Dan's reaction to it are also the same as in season 1. Pretty much, all that occurs in the first two episodes of the 1st season, with the exception of Peyton's role, has happened and led up to where this story begins.

Chapter 1: Prologue

The café was buzzing as school had just ended and students were stopping by to grab a quick bite to eat. Haley James was nearly plowed down by a group of teens leaving just as she was racing into the café.

"Karen, I am so sorry I'm late; tutoring ran overtime", Haley exclaimed apologetically, quickly putting on her apron.

Karen Roe, the owner of Karen's café, simply smiled at the young girl who she thought of as a daughter, and said, "Haley, it's fine; you're only 5 minutes late". Karen always laughed at how conscientious Haley always was; always worried even if she was only 5 minutes late. To be honest for Karen, Haley could be an hour late and she wouldn't worry because she knew Haley would have a good reason and that she would always be sure to make up for it.

Karen did worry about Haley though; she worried that Haley was too conscientious. For as long as she has known Haley, even as an 8 year old kid, she has always been that way and always very driven. For example, when she was 8, despite her clumsiness, she wanted to join a soccer team and for 2 straight months all Haley did was practice soccer until she finally made the team. Then when she entered high school her focus became getting high grades to earn scholarships and to save enough money for college. As well as tutoring students who are having trouble with their school work. This, therefore, limited her socializing. Karen knew that if it wasn't for her son Lucas, Haley probably wouldn't even have friends at all, that is how focused she was.

Haley had a plan for her life; graduate high school, get into college (hopefully Stanford) and become an English teacher (she loved helping people and knew she wanted a career that would do that). Karen worried that this plan Haley had, while it was a good one, was preventing her from experiencing high school and taking risks.

"Almost 9 O'clock" Haley sighed to herself, her shift was almost over and she could go home, study for a bit, and then head to bed. She had a Spanish test the next day and Spanish not being her best subject, she knew that she had to study hard for it tonight.

Karen had left a few hours ago, so she could go watch Lucas's basketball game, so it was up to Haley to close up. She was just finishing up washing the tables when she heard the café door open. She turned to see who it was and when she saw who the person was a smile broke out onto her face.

"Hey Luke, how was the game?" asking as she walked over to her best friend, which was when she noticed the bluish bruise growing on his left cheek. "Lucas what happened?" Haley asked concerned.

"Well let's just say that Nathan's fist found my face" Lucas exclaimed to his friend in his own sarcastic way.

"Oh no, what happened this time?" Haley asked, all too aware of the constant fighting that went on between the two brothers, just the other day they were kicked out of class for fighting.

There was certainly no love loss between the Scott brothers. Haley felt that Dan Scott was partly the reason behind this animosity between Nathan and Lucas. Although it also did not help that Nathan was the biggest jackass she had ever met.

Ever since Lucas decided to join the school's basketball team, for which Nathan was the star of, Nathan and the team have been giving Luke a hard time. They've pulled several stunts, (all of which she's sure were done at the insistence of Nathan) to try to force him off the team; none of which have worked yet. Haley was beginning to think that all of what Luke was going through wasn't worth it and that he should just walk away.

Haley waited for Lucas's reply as she walked out of the kitchen where she had gone and gotten ice to put on his cheek. "It's Nathan, does he really need a reason" Luke replied sarcastically. "I mean I say two words to the guy and he wants to pound my face".

Haley looked at Luke almost in a contemplation of whether what she's going to say next is something she should say. "Luke….do you think that maybe it's not worth it anymore. I mean you've proven your point to Nathan and his dad that you can play just as well as he can"

"Hales, I can't let Nathan or Dan gets to me or know that there getting to me, which is exactly what, would happen if I just walked away. I'm not going to give them that satisfaction", Luke replied.

"Lucas!...would you look at yourself, ever since you've joined the team Nathan has tortured you…your locker's been trashed, they've stolen your clothes, not to mention that they've left you out in the middle of know where and now Nathan's using your face as a punching bag. Can't you just put your pride to the side and walk away" Haley exclaimed clearly upset at the way Lucas is being treated.

Lucas sighed, trying to find just the right words to reassure her. He knew Haley has a tendency to overreact, especially when it came to his welfare, although she probably was right that he should just walk away, but his pride was not about to let him do that. "Haley, I'm fine…look this whole thing between me and Nathan is going to go away" Haley looked at him disbelievingly "It is…Nathan's going to get bored and move on to a new target" Luke stated.

Haley still was not convinced, but decided to let it go for the night. She knew how stubborn Lucas was about this and knew she wouldn't get anywhere. She would just hope that he would come to his senses soon and walk away before Nathan did anything else.

It was 9:00 in the morning and the start of another school day at Tree Hill High. The halls were crowded with students as Haley was trying to make her way through the crowd to her locker. So far this day was not going well for her. She stayed up late studying and ended up sleeping through her alarm. She barely had time to brush her hair and put on some clothes and drive to school before she was late.

She was now hurriedly going down the halls carrying her bag and some books, pushing past people to get to her locker, put her things away and get her books and then get to class. She could see her locker just ahead when splat, she went face first into the floor, her books and bag went everywhere.

All Haley could hear as she tried to reorient herself was laughter. She didn't even have to too look up to know who was laughing. Haley would know that laugh anywhere; it was that off Nathan Scott and his buddies. They did this to her a lot, Haley is not the most graceful person and they've been privy to many of her clumsy moments and they always had the same reaction; laughter.

This among many other reasons was how Haley's great distaste for Nathan Scott grew. Nathan was proclaimed the crown prince of Tree Hill High by most of the student body and he played right into that role. All the guys wanted to be him and all the girls wanted to date him and he loved every second of it.

To Haley, Nathan Scott was certainly no prince. He had quite a reputation and not just for his basketball skills; he was known for his various escapades with girls and for his all night parties at his father's beach house. Nathan also had a cocky attitude to boot; he held himself in very high esteem and it drove Haley crazy. Every time she saw him she wanted to take him down a peg or two. She couldn't stand how everyone treated him as if he was above everyone else.

To be fair Haley has never actually talked to the great Nathan Scott, so there could be something there under the persona he puts on, but she truly doubts it. The two of them may have never had a conversation, but it never stopped him from making her life miserable.

It started in the ninth grade, when she entered high school Haley was quickly put into the nerd category, which she could care less about, but it put her at risk of being ridiculed by the popular kids aka Nathan and his group. And for whatever reason they had zeroed in on Haley as being a prime recipient of their ridicule.

They've done numerous things to her over the years from something as simple as teasing to embarrassing her in front of everyone. One of her worst memories of an incident that happened was during a speech she was giving in her English class. Nathan and several of his friends were in the class with her. While giving the speech Nathan and his buddies constantly talked and laughed through out it making snide remarks about her and her speech. By the end of the speech Haley was practically in tears, she did everything she could to hold them in, but it was no use, so the minute she ended her speech she ran out of the classroom crying. She figured that it was better run out crying than to break down right in front of Nathan. She would not give him that satisfaction that he had gotten to her.

Her running from the classroom in tears did not go unnoticed by Nathan, who found it hilarious and gave her the nickname of crybaby James. From that day on him and his buddies called her that on several occasions. It was one of Haley's most embarrassing moments and she hated how much joy Nathan had gotten out of her pain.

When Lucas joined the basketball team and the knowledge that she's Lucas's best friend added to the taunting that Haley received from Nathan. It was almost like it was his goal in life to make people like her lives miserable.

Haley could feel her whole face going red as she quickly tried to gather her things with little help from anyone, in fact Nathan and another had kicked a couple of her books a little further down the hall. She was very embarrassed and just wanted to get too her locker than class. She had first period with Lucas, so she looked forward to seeing his comforting face.

Nathan Scott got off a few chuckles with his friends as he saw Haley trying to quickly get to her locker and get far away from them, more specifically him. He had been having a bad morning and was debating whether to skip today, but this little incident made him very glade he showed up this morning and helped to cure his bad mood. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about harassing Haley James that made his day brighter, also the fact that she was Lucas's best friend, that added so much more to it.

Once Haley was no longer in sight he turned back to his friends. His group of friends were made up of several guys from the basketball team that included his best friend Tim Smith, then there was Peyton Sawyer, she though was only really included in his group because she happened to be best friends with Brooke Davis.

If Nathan was the crown prince, then Brooke was the crown princess and it only made sense that the two be a couple, which they were. They represented every cliché out there; she is the captain of the cheer leading squad and he is captain of the basketball team, she's the most popular girl in school and always has numerous guys vying for her and Nathan is the most popular guy at the school and all the girls wanted to date him. They were a power couple around the school and deemed by many as the perfect couple.

Their relationship wasn't perfect though. Since they started dating 2 years ago their relationship has been on again off again. There is a strong chemistry between them and that has always brought them back together. Their relationship did consist of feelings for the other, but the sex overrode them and pretty much came down to their reasoning for always getting back together.

However, when it came to sex Nathan was not a one woman guy. He had a roving eye and sleeping only with Brooke did not satisfy him. He had developed quite a reputation as a ladies man. Stories circulated throughout the school of one night stands he had had the night before. Brooke heard all of it and she figured it was probably all true, but she chose to look the other way.

Nathan's latest hook up had actually been just the night before and was with one of Brooke's friends and her teammate on the cheerleading squad; Theresa Moreno. His dad, the infamous Dan Scott, had been giving him grief over what happened between him and Lucas during the game last night and Nathan just had to get away. He went to a party that some friends were throwing and Theresa happened to be there.

The party gave him exactly what he needed; a distraction from everything else going on in his life. From the time Nathan was born basketball was to be his destiny. Dan Scott had been the star basketball player a Tree Hill High and had high hopes of moving onto college ball than the NBA. It would not however work out that way for him.

At the end of his senior year of high school he learned that his girlfriend, Karen Roe, was pregnant; having to choose between staying in Tree Hill with Karen going onto college and playing basketball, he chose basketball. However, within a week of arriving at college he met Debra Lee. When Deb became pregnant with Nathan shortly after meeting the two married and Dan found himself trying to cope with new wife, a new baby and basketball.

Dan then suffered a knee injury and his hopes for a career in the NBA were dashed. He dropped out of basketball shortly after the injury. With his hopes dashed, Dan turned his attention towards Nathan and put all of his goals onto him. He wanted Nathan to go onto College ball and then play for the NBA. As a result Dan pushed Nathan extremely hard. No matter how good Nathan was Dan always expected him to be better.

Nathan's life was made much harder when Lucas joined the team. Dan and Nathan saw Lucas as a threat to Nathan's place on the team and his future. Therefore Dan made sure to build up animosity between Nathan and Lucas and encouraged Nathan to fight hard to get Lucas off the team.

All of these factors, the pressure his dad was putting on him and Lucas joining the team, were creating a lot of drama in Nathan's life and he wanted to do whatever he could to get away from it for at least a night. For him getting drunk with a bunch of his buddies and getting laid were to him the perfect distraction.


	2. Chapter 2

Life is Unpredictable

**Disclaimer: **I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

**Author's Note #1: **Thank you for all the great reviews I've received. I love hearing from you. I had hoped to get this chapter out to you sooner, but wasn't able to. Just to let you know, Brucas and Leyton will be mentioned in this. There will probably be more Brucas than Leyton, but Naley really is the focus of this story. Please continue to let me know how you feel about this story. I love reading what you have to say.

**Author's Note #2: **This chapter takes place on the same day as the last chapter.

Chapter 2:

It was lunch time at Tree Hill High and Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis were sitting at a table outside waiting for their boyfriends to join them for lunch.

"Well, if it isn't little Virgin Mary" Brooke exclaimed sarcastically as she spotted Haley walking by.

"Brooke, be nice" Peyton replied, turning back from looking in Haley's direction.

"What? I didn't say anything that wasn't true." Brooke stated defensively, but with a smile and seemingly not understanding that she had said anything wrong.

Peyton simply gave her that look that told Brooke she shouldn't have said what she said. "You know Haley's not that bad. She's actually pretty nice" Peyton replied.

Brooke just gave her an annoyed look then said, "Do you really want to see me throw-up right here. My stomach can really not take you defending her". Peyton just looked at Brooke and remained silent, even though her gut told her she should say something more in defense of Haley.

With Peyton's quietness, Brooke moved on to what she deemed more important things. "So, P. Sawyer are you psyched for the party at Nathan's beach house this Saturday?"

Peyton was hesitant in her reply knowing what Brooke's reaction would be, "Umm…well Brooke….see I'm not going to the party".

"What? What do you mean you're not going? Everyone's going" Brooke exclaimed, appalled that her best friend was going to miss this party.

"I have plans with Jake" Peyton stated and then quickly said, "Brooke don't give me that look". It was said in response to a look Brooke was giving her after what she last said.

"I just don't get you sometimes P. Sawyer. You would actually rather play house with some guy than go out and have fun" Brooke replied.

"I'm not playing house" Peyton exclaimed.

"Will Jenny be there?" Brooke asked.

"Yes" Peyton replied.

"Then you're playing house!" Brooke exclaimed to Peyton, who was now frustrated with Brooke's lack of understanding. The truth was she's never really understood her and Jake's relationship.

She and Jake actually met through Nathan surprisingly. Jake is on the basketball team and happened to be at one of Nathan's parties. She was a little familiar with him before that, because of her being a cheerleader she saw him on the court. However, Peyton knew how most of the basketball players were (aka just like. Nathan) and was weary about dating any of them. Jake, though, was different and then she learned about him being a single father to his daughter Jenny and that seemed to embed him even more into her heart.

The two started dating almost immediately after they met at the party. Most of their dates comprised of simply staying home, having dinner and watching a movie while Jenny slept and Peyton was completely happy with that. When she was with Jake she had never felt so safe in her life. Brooke, though, couldn't understand Peyton's happiness at staying home and as she puts it playing house with a guy when she could be out partying.

Haley took a seat outside under a tree waiting for Lucas to join her for lunch. She had noticed both Brooke and Peyton watching her as she had made her way by them and over to the tree. Some days Haley could not understand how Peyton could be best friends with Brooke Davis because about Peyton seemed to be the complete opposite of Brooke; Peyton was actually nice.

Peyton's boyfriend Jake plays on the basketball team with Lucas. Jake was the only one from the team who befriended Lucas and didn't join into Nathan's hazing of him. At first Haley had been weary of Peyton when Lucas suggested they hang out with Jake and Peyton because she was Brooke Davis's best friend after all. However, she quickly learned how different Peyton was from Brooke and the two got along quite well. She, Lucas, Jake and Peyton would hang out together from time to time; of course though at school she and Peyton would act like they don't know each other.

Haley was brought out of her thoughts when Lucas sat down next to her.

"Hey Hales, what are you thinking about?" Lucas asked taking his sandwich from a brown paper bag.

"Oh nothing…So, how was practice this morning?" Haley asked, smiling at her best friend.

"Don't ask" Luke replied.

"What did Nathan do this time?" Haley asked.

"Actually Nathan doing something wouldn't be as worse as what happened today. The coach benched Nathan and me for the next game because of what happened at last night's game" Luke explained.

"But it wasn't even your fault; Nathan started it" Haley replied, angry that Nathan's stupid stunts were getting Lucas into trouble.

"Yeah well, the coach doesn't really care about that part. We also got a warning; that if we don't start getting along, at least on the court, then he'll continue to bench us until we do" Lucas said.

"Can he do that?" Haley asked.

"He's the coach, he can do anything". Lucas stated than took on a sarcastic tone when he said, "Although I'm sure Nathan will probably go home and tell daddy and then daddy will fix it for him".

Nathan Scott was not happy as he marched over to where his girlfriend and her best friend were eating lunch and slammed down his book bag onto the table.

"Whoa, what crawled up your butt?" Peyton said to Nathan because of his fowl mood.

"My bastard of a brother…it was bad enough that he's trying to take my spot on the team, but now he's causing me to get into trouble as well" Nathan exclaimed, clearly very mad.

"What happened?" Brooke asked.

"Whitey's benched us for last night's game and he's threatening to bench us again if we don't start getting along. Can you believe this because of Lucas I'm going to lose playing time and if I don't play we don't win and there's no way I'm going to be on a losing team, especially not with the scouts coming around soon" Nathan said.

"Well maybe you should give Lucas a break then and try and get along with him for you and the teams sake?" Peyton suggested and got a glare from both Brooke and Nathan as if her idea was the most bizarre thing ever. "Ok, never mind" Peyton quickly said deciding to stay out of this conversation.

Brook then turned back towards Nathan and asked, "Can't your dad do something? Like talk to Whitey?"

"I can't tell my dad about this, he'll go ballistic. I mean he doesn't want Lucas on this team anymore than I do, but if he finds out about all the stunts that I've pulled to try to get Lucas off the team is causing me to now lose playtime he's going to be furious. I have to figure out something on my own to do" Nathan exclaimed.

"Like what?" Brooke asked, curious as to what her boyfriend had in mind.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that it's got to be something bigger than what I have been doing, it's got to be something more personal. I'm not letting him stand between me and my basketball!" Nathan stated.

Brooke had only ever seen this side of Nathan a couple of times before and both times someone always got hurt and it was always the second party. Whenever Nathan Scott had revenge on the mind it was never a good thing and she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for anyway who got caught in the middle of this.

"Now I just have to figure out what it is exactly I'm going to do" Nathan said, as his eyes glanced casually around the numerous students around him, when suddenly his eye caught two figures and an evil smile was brought to his lips. Brooke looked to the direction that Nathan was looking at then turned back to him waiting for him to explain what he was thinking.

Nathan looked back at Brooke and said, "What's the best way to defeat an opponent, identify his weaknesses and attack them".

Brooke looked back to where Nathan had been staring and then back at Nathan and asked in a confused voice "Tutor girl?" Nathan just smiled.


End file.
